Door mechanism for railway cars



Dec. 12, 1950 l.. J. nl LMAN DooR MECHANISM FOR RAILWAY CARS,

3 Sheets-Sheet l Fil-ed May 9, 1947 Wd 1|. 1 l l l Il f TIIII .HHhllnm m m m m m In unwell@ INVENToR. Lam bef? lhzzdzz,

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Dec. l2, 1950 J. TILLMAN 2,533,536

DOOR MECHANISM FOR RAILWAY CARS Filed May 9, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 12, 1950 L. J. TILLMAN 2,533,536

DOOR MECHAN-ISM FOR RAILWAY CARS Filed May '9, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 52 Z0 y d V A Al INVEN TOR. Lal-aber? J Tillman,

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Patented Dec. l2, .1951() UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 9 Claims.

This invention relates to railway cars and more particularly to improvements in railway gondola cars having drop bottom doors.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a spring actuated unit, separate from the hinge connection of the door to the car, which tends to resist opening movement of the door.

Due to the weight of drop bottom doors of gondola cars, dificulty has been often experienced in the past in moving the doors from open to closed position, it frequently requiring more than one man to effect closure of the door. To overcome this difficulty, a spring actuated unit is provided which tends to partly counterbalance the weight of the door so that complete closure may be easily effected by but a single man.

A primary feature of the invention consists in providing the hinged door of a railway car with an arm which is pivotally connected thereto and depends therefrom adjacent the hinged edge thereof and with a spring for causing the arm to rotate about its pivot into engagement with the fixed part of the car to afford resistance to opening movement of the door.

Another feature of the invention consists in provid ng the hinged door of a railway gondola car with a pivoted arm spaced laterally from the means by which the door is hinged to the car and in interposing a spring between the arm and the door to cause the arm to bear against a Xed part of the car and thereby afford resistance to opening movement of the door.

A still further feature of the invention consists in providing a hinged door of a railway car with a spring actuated unit separate from the means by which the door is hinged to the car, the unit involving an arm pivoted to the door adjacent the hinged edge thereof and depending therefrom and a spring cooperable with the arm for forcing it against a xed part of the car to afford resistance to opening movement of the door A still further feature of the invention consists in providing the door of a railway gondola car with a spring actuated unit separate from the means hingedly connecting the door to the car body, the unit involving a member secured to the door, an arm pivotally connected to the member and a spring cooperable with the arm for urging it against a fixed part of the car so as to provide a force tending to resist opening of the door.

A still further feature of the invention consists in providing a spring actuated unit for the hinged door of a railway car which exerts a force tending to resist opening movement of the door, the

moment arm of the force of the spring about the L hinge axis of the door` being arranged so as to decrease upon an opening movement of the door.

Other and more spe-cie features of the linvention, residing in advantageous forms, combinations and relations of parts will hereinafter appear and be pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan View of a railway gondola car showing one of the drop bottom doors with a portion thereof taken away to show the invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the construction illustrated in Figure 1, the

portion of the view at the left of the center thereof being in section on a line corresponding to line 2 2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged plan view of one corner of a drop bottom door of a ra'lway gondola car and the adjacent parts of the car.

Figure 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional View taken on line 4 4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a View simlar to Figure 4 of a slightly modified form of the invention showing the door in open position.

Figure 6 is a View similar to Figure 4 of the same modied form of the invention shown in Figure 5 taken on a line corresponding to line 6 5 of Figure 1.

As the construction of the car on one side of the longitudinal axis thereof is identical with the construction of the car on the other side, only one-half of the car structure is illustrated and, as each door and the cooperatng parts thereof are the same, only one door and the adjoining portions of the car are shown.

In the drawings, l indicates one of the upright structural members of the center sill of the car and 2 one of the side sills which may conveniently be of angle shape having an upright or vertical flange 3 and a horizontal flange fi, the inner edge of which may define one edge of each of the lading discharge openings in the car floor. The center and side sills may be conveniently connected by a plurality of laterally spaced cross bearers or diaphragme 5. Sheet metal plates 'E may be advantageously employed to form the sides of the car, the lower portions of the sheets being riveted to the upstanding ange 3 of the adjacent side sill. The side walls may, if desired, be reinforced by conventional side stakes 1.

The floor of the car is principally formed by a longitudinally extending plate 8 which overlies the center sill and by a plurality of transversely extending plates 9 which extend over the top of plate 8 and at their opposite ends are suitably riveted to the horizontal flange li of the adjacent side sill. Together with the inner edge of the horizontal flange of the side sill, the adjacent edges of plates 8 and 9 dei-lne the lading discharge openings in the oor of the car.

Each lading discharge opening is closed by a door IU which, in the present embodiment of the invention, comprises a sheet metal plate Il having continuous depending marginal ilanges i2. Each door may be hingedly connected to the center sill by any suitable means, such as hinge butts I3 riveted to the upright member I of the center sill and hinge brackets I secured to the under side of the door, the hinge brackets being pivotally connected to the hinge butts by pivot pins I5'. In the construction which has been chosen 'to illustrate the invention, the hinge butt's I3 are formed of sheet metal and each is bent to provide outwardly extending jaws I6 to rey ceive between them the outer end of thel adjaj cent hinge bracket which, as' seen in Figure, extends downwardly and outwardly' from the door.

To resist opening of the door and thereby provide a force tending to return it to closed position, a pair of spring actuated units I1 is preferably associated with each door. These rinits are. entirelyY independent of the'meone by which the doorY is hingedly connected to thercar and h'erflf bl? 9.91535 afpplfd to the .l'S., Qf existing cars without making any Vchange in the hinge connections.

YEnolo unit oreferololr oomorlSeS e member la, a pivoted arm IQ and a spring 2Q. The member Ii'is generally of angular shape having a vertical flange "2i and an additional ilange 22 which, when the door is in closed position, is disposed in a horizontal plane. At its forward en d,v the ange 22 of'inemberIS is bent downwardly, to provide; an abutment for theV forward end` of spring 2i). The down-turned forward end of member I8 is preferablyfapertured, as indicated oli/f2.3. to elllilnbly reoelve, one. enely of. n. Sonne Snoporting rod Ell. At the inner or rear end of the member ISv the Vertical flange2I is inwardly offset projects rearwardly from the door to prof vide a hinge lug 2.5y of a width which is of sub,- stantially greater width than the ange itself. ln addition to extendingr beyond the hinged edge ofthe door, the lug L5 also extends somewhat doinnerdlr` Theuarm le which may be conveniently of lll-shapel havingv laterally spacedV Walls 26 is piv otally connected at its upper end to the.v hinge lug 25 at the outer end of member I8 by a pin or the like. 2l, the lng. being reoered. between. the sneed?. Welle. 2e. or the. onn- Qneenflof. there@ 24 on which. the .Spring 20 .nnleol le. Slloloblv. Supported within the operture 23Y and the other end isl rotatablyI seatedy in recessesil Vfornried in the outer kedges o fv the` arm ser anolnt below theoonneotiog loin 2l.. While theend of the` rod) cooperable with theA arm L9 may.. lie. integrally.. provided. with. oopoolllela en: tending. bene?. for @operation with; the, recesses 2;!3, it is preferred that this end of the member reformed 'with' on aperture to reoeiveaoin 3 0 so'that the rod may be readily disconnectedafrom the nln- The inner end ofV spring 25 seats upon. a, collar 3| whichv may be conveniently formed-l, integral withthe rod 28 and the forwardendof .the spring isadapted. to bear against theV portion ormernfl ber` I8 surrounding the aperture 23. 'Ifo4 enable. thespringto be easily shipped with the desired degree of compression, the forward end of rod- 28 ispreferably formed so asvto receivea cotter pin 3,2.Ywhich is shown in Figures 4 and 6. Itis.un'` derstood, however, that, after the parts have been correctly assembled, the cotter pin is. with` drawnto therebyrpermit the adjacentjendothe spring to engage the memberY I8.

The', Vertical flange 2l oi the member I8 is` preferably riveted to a corresponding'flange of-av` door stiffening angle 33 and the upper ange. 22T

of the member may be riveted to thetop ilange 3.4v 0f4 the stiilcningV angle aswellj as to, the door.'

itself. I'he stiffening angle may advantageously extend from adjacent the hinged edge of the door to a point beyond the opposite edge so as toV projeet slightly beyondV 'the` adjacent side of the't car :for vengagement' by 1a lor supporting hook 35.

The spring 20 forces the arm I9 into engagement with a Axed part of the car, such as the nt'e'r sill', and"threby provides a force tending to resist opening movement of the door or, stated otherwise, the.v spring affords a force tending to move the door`"to closed position. When in closed position, the spring is incapable of exerting enough force to prevent the door from openll and., @0. Pefllellt. it. from eeltllgi llfent force, to olosejtlle degli after il?. has. been. 99.111,- pressed during moyement/of the door fromv closed to open. Position, the. points of reneilon of the springs on the arms I9 are soy relatedwithrespect to the hinge axis of the door that the moment arm of. the force of the Spring about the hinge axisdecreases as` the door moves from closed to open position. 'I jhusV the force which the. Springs exert on the door. tending to 0,170.59 il whenrno door is. ln open position' does notenceed the force of ygravity acting on the door which mustloe. overcome. to rnove it from onen to olosen position. However, the' springs exert sufficient force onl the door. to` easily permit it to be closed by a single operator- Theories of the pins 2'lrespeotlvelv oonneotng members I8. to the nrrns` lf9,ofg each. Spring actuated unit may lie in, the Same horizontal. plane with the. hinge.. oXes. of` the, door. as. ndlooted in Flgure. wherein line C-CV represents S11-oh hori- Zontal plone., In the. Slisntlr rnodinedorm of the invention Shown in Fisores. and ont the. drow ings, the 'pivotal otros onine arms. le, are. hon,- ever. disposed Slightly loelovr.tnehonzontalplane which passes, through the4 hingeaxis. of the. door, as .indicatedby line C,- VC. In both constructions, howeyer, themoment arm. of the` force of.. the springs about the hingeaxis ofthe door .decreases as.. the door4 approaches4 open.. position.. The lino of lforoe. ofy the Spring. acting. upon the pivote@ arm I9 is indicated. inthe drawings. by` theline ATA. and theline passnathroughthehmee axis oliv tlledoor, perpendicular totlloJno ATA. laren: resented lor theY lineB.,-B. lhemomcnt, armA of the foreewheh thegsprlngexerts on thadogr tending Y to move it to closed position. or. retainit in, that n position is, therefore. represented by the distance on. line B-.B.between. the, pivotal. axisof the.. door and theVV pointwhere `it.finters'ectsthe line A-A. 'By comparing. Eigurei and Figur'efi of.the drawings, it,will..beise'en thatthe distance on the, lineB-B between line C-Clandliine A.1-A representing, the. forceA exertedL by. thespring is materially lesswhen the` dooris inopen. position, assholwn in Figure 5, than it is Awhen thedoo is in closed position, as shownv in' 'Figure 61 i SinceA the, force exerted bythe sp'ririg tending to close the door is the product 'ofrrthefmomrt arm of the springforee'abot the hingeaxisofthe Ydoor and. thr=. force` oftn spring itrs'eif du@ to compression, the spring i's ofsu'hfca'pacityfnd i$0mDfeSSe-d-when the door isinopn siti to such' extent. that: the product/stime spring fdrce'anq its" 'moment armisxis'tnn 'trie of gravity aetigofthe' door'wlen'it 4'is`i'i`n'6per'-i' position; gThusevfeiiA tlou'gl'i'the".^s11fi1`gvis pressed.` during' operingv' mntfc-th door, it` is.' still incapable of`exetiiig`sliicien'tf frczel ures 4 and 6, the extreme lower end of each pivot arm I9 preferably engages the adjacent part of the center sill but, as the door is opened, the lower portion of the pivoted arm may conveniently rock around a portion of the rear wall of arm I9 which is bent as indicated at St.

From the foregoing, it will be perceived that simple and rugged means has been provided which may be easily applied to doors of existing railway gondola cars without making any changes in the hinge mountings thereof. Various modifications in details in the embodiments of the invention here illustrated may, of course, be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as dei-ined in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A door mechanism for a railway car having a hinged door movable downwardly to open position, and spring means resisting opening movement of said door, said means including an arm pivoted to the door and depending therefrom adjacent its hinged edge, and a spring interposed between an abutment and said arm to cause the arm to engage a fixed part of the car and thereby afford resistance to opening movement of the door, said spring exerting its greatest force on the door when the door is closed and being compressed most when the door is open.

2. A door mechanism for a railway gondola car having a door hingedly connected to the car adjacent the center sill thereof and movable downwardly to open position, an arm pivoted to the door and depending therefrom adjacent said center sill, and spring means interposed between an abutment and said arm to force the arm against the center sill and thereby afford resistance to opening movement of the door, said spring cxerting its greatest force on the door when the door is closed and being compressed most when the door is open.

3. A door mechanism for a railway gondola car having means hingedly connecting the door to the car, said door being movable downwardly to open position, and a spring actuated unit separate from said hinging means, said unit including an arm pivotally connected to the door adjacent the hinged edge thereof, and a spring between an abutment on the door and said armfor urging said arm into engagement with a fixed part of the car, said spring exerting its greatest force on the door when the door is closed and being compressed most when the door is open.

4. A door mechanism for a railway car having a hinged door movable downwardly to open position, an arm pivotally connected to the door adjacent its hinged edge, and a spring carried by the door and cooperable with an abutment on the door and with said arm at a, po-int :below its pivotal connection to the door, said spring being arranged so that the moment of the force of the spring about the hinge axis of the door is less when the door is in open position than when the door is in closed position.

5. A door mechanism for a railway gondola car having means hingedly connecting a door to the car, said door being movable do-wnwardly to open position, and a spring actuated unit spaced 4from said door hinging means, said unit including a member xed to the door, an arm pivotally connected to said member adjacent the hinged edge of the door, and a spring supported at one end by said member and cooperable at its other end with said arm for moving said arm into engagement with a fixed part of the car, said spring exerting its greatest force on the door when the door is closed and being compressed most when the door is open.

G. A door mechanism for railway gondola car having a door hingedly connected to the car adjacent the center sill thereof, said door bein-g movable downwardly to open position, and a spring actuated unit spaced from the hinge connection of the door to the car, said unit including an arm pivoted to the door and having a portion depending therefrom adjacent its hinged edge, and spring means normally cooperating with said depending portion for urging the lower end of said arm into contact with said center sill so as to provide a force tending to resist opening movement of the door.

'7. A door mechanism for a railway gondola car having a door hingedly connected thereto adjacent the center sill thereof, and a spring a/ctuated unit separate from the hinge connection of the door to the car body, said unit including a member secured to the door, an arm pivotally mounted on said member adjacent the hinged edge of the door and depending therefrom, and spring means cooperable with an abutment on the door and with said arm below its pivotal connection to said member to force said arm into engagement with said center sill, the moment of force of the spring about the hinge axis of the door decreasing as the door moves toward open position.

8. A door mechanism for a railway gondola car having a door hingedly connected thereo adjacent the center sill thereof, a member secured to the under side of the door independently of the hinge connection of the door to the car body, said member having a portion extending lbelow the door, an arm pivotally connected to said portion, said arm having a recess on one side thereof below its hinge connection to said member, pivot means disposed within said recess, and a spring bearing against said pivot means and an abutment on the door urging the arm into engagement with said center sill, said spring providing a force tendingto resist opening movement of the door.

9. A door mechanism for the hinged door of a railway gondola car, said mechanism being separate from the hinge connection of the door to the car and including an arm pivotally connected to the door, a rod having one end adapted to be slidably carried by the door and having its other end engageable with said arm, a spring encircling said rod for causing the latter to bear against a fixed part of the car, and removable means adjacent one end of the rod for maintaining the spring in association with the rod before the unit is applied to the door.

LAMBERT J. TILLMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this :patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,066,146 Priebe July 1, 1913 1,171,020 Buckius Feb. 8, 1916 1,335,297 Richards Mar. 30, 1920 1,631,306 Constantine July 7, 1927 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 15,355 Austria ...l- Feb. 25, 1904 

